Fluid dispensing apparatus preselector system

ABSTRACT

Fuel dispensing apparatus having a coin operated preselector, a knob operated preselector, a mode selector with coin, knob and nonpreselector settings and a logic circuit for operating a twostage shutoff valve for terminating the delivery of fuel after the preselected amount is dispensed.

United States Patent Brunone 1 June 5, 1973 54] FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 3,222,226 151122 Bly Ml. "94 13 l l l Romanows ..I94 13 X PRESELECTOR SYSTEM 3,221,860 12/1965 Klaffky ..l94/5 Inventor; P ter P Brunone, Hartford Conn 3,448,843 6/1969 Mesh ..]94/5 [73] Assignee: Xeeder Industries Inc., Hartford, Primary Examiner stanley Touberg Attorney-Prutzman, Hayes, Kalb & Chilton [22] Filed: May 20, 1971 211 App]. No.: 145,398 [571 ABSTRACT Fuel dispensing apparatus having a coin operated preselector, a knob operated preselector, a mode 52] U.S.Cl ..l94/13 Selector with coin knob and nonpreselector Settings [51] Int. Cl ..G07f 13/02 and a logic circuit for operating a two stage shutoff [58] Fleld of Search ..l94/5, l3; 222/2 valve for erminating the delivery of fuel after the preselected amount is dispensed. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 3,285,381 11/1966 Robbins ..194/5 MODE SELECTOR EMERGENCY SWITCH OFF MANUAL PRESET Patented June 5, 1973 3,737,0l7

2 Shuts-Shut 1 DE E T MANUAL PRESET EMERGENCY M d "W SWITCH a INVENTOR PETER P. BRUNONE ATTOR N EYS Patented June 5, 1973 3,737,017

2 Sheefis-Sheet 2 rg ANuAL M Z BINARY BINARY ND STAGE 1ST STAGE PUMP O CONTROL OFF PULSE GEN.

COIN

T MANUAL SELECTOR NON PRESET MECH.

COIN PRESET MANUAL COIN RETURN CO I N COLLECT EMERGENCY SWITCH W! 2ND STAGE TWO STAGE VALVE FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS PRESELECTOR SYSTEM BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to fluid dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a new and improved preselector system for fluid dispensing apparatus for automatically terminating the delivery of fluid after a preselected amount is dispensed.

It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved fluid dispensing apparatus preselector system having a coin preselector for preselecting the amount of fluid to be dispensed by the deposit of coins or other tokens.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved preselector system which may be used with conventional fuel dispensing pumps without requiring modification of the pump.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved preselector system for fluid dispensing apparatus capabie of providing manual preselection and/or coin preselection of the amount of fluid to be delivered.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved preselector system for fuel dispensing apparatus for automatically terminating the delivery of fuel after a preselected amount is dispensed by the operation of a shutoff valve.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

A better understanding of the invention will be obtained from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings of an illustrative application of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a fuel dispensing pump employing a preselector system incorporating an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a logic control circuit of the preselector system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the figures, a preselector system 6 incorporating an embodiment of the present invention is shown employed in a fuel dispensing pump 8 for controlling the delivery of fuel by the pump. In a conventional manner the fuel pump 8 incorporates a delivery pump 10 driven by a motor 12 for supplying fuel via a meter 14 and a two-stage shutoff valve 16 to a fuel dispensing nozzle 18. The fuel pump 8 is shown employing a resettable register 20 having a visual volume counter 22 and a visual cost counter 24 for providing visual registrations of the volume and cost amounts of fuel delivered. The output shaft 26 of the meter 14 is rotated in proportion to the volume of fuel dispensed and drives the volume counter 22 and cost counter 24 of the register 20. A variator 28 connected between the meter 14 and cost counter 24 is employed in a known manner for selectively setting the price per unit volume of fluid dispensed. The register 20 may for example be of the type shown and described in H. N. Bliss US. Pat. No. 2,814,444 dated Nov. 26, l957 and entitled Register and have a suitable reset mechanism operable by a lever 29 prior to the commencement of each fluid delivery for resetting the volume and cost counters 22, 24

to zero.

The fuel nozzle 18 is shown provided in a conventional manner with a storage receptacle 30 for storing the nozzle between fuel deliveries. A manual control handle or lever 32 is mounted adjacent the storage receptacle 30 such that the control handle 32 has to be manually rotated, clockwise as seen from the right in FIG. 1, to its OFF or vertical position to permit the nozzle to be replaced in its storage receptacle and such that the nozzle has to be removed from its storage receptacle to permit the control handle 32 to be pivoted, approximately 90 in the opposite direction, to its ON or horizontal position. (Also, in a conventional manner the reset lever 29 and control handle 32 are suitably interlocked so that the reset lever 29 must be actuated to reset the counters 22, 24 to zero before the control handle 32 can be turned to its ON position.) The control handle 32 is connected via a control shaft 34 to the register 20 and such that when the control lever 32 is pivoted to its ON position the fuel pump 8 is activated for delivering fuel by energizing the pump motor 12. When the control handle 32 is pivoted to its OFF or vertical position the pump motor 12 is thereby deenergized.

The preselector system 6 comprises a mode selector 60 with a three-position knob 62 having a C position for coin preselection of the monetary amount of fuel to be delivered, an M position for manual preselection of the monetary amount of fuel to be delivered, and an NP position for regular operation of the pump without preselection of the amount'of fuel to be delivered. A coin preselector 66 having an input coin chute 68 and a coin return chute 70 is provided for coin operation of the pump with the selector in its C position. The coin preselector 66 has a conventional coin acceptor 72 operable for rejecting unacceptable coins, an escrow bank 74 for holding accepted coins, and a coin return lever 76 for permitting return of the deposit in escrow any time prior to the commencement of a fuel delivery (as determined by rotation of the control handle 32 to its ON position). Also, as hereinafter more fully explained the escrow bank 74 is adapted to be operated (via a control lead 80) to collect the coins in escrow (by dropping them into a vault 82) when the control handle 32 is turned to its ON position (with-the selector knob 62 in its C or coin preselector position).

A manual preselector shown having a fifteen position knob 91 is provided for manually preselecting the monetary amount of fuel to be delivered when the mode selector is in its M or manual preselector position. The preselector system 6 is also shown comprising an emergency switch 94 which is connected for closing the two-stage shutoff valve 16 for deactivating the pump 8.

A logic control circuit for controlling the operation of the pump (by controlling the operation of the twostage valve 16) in accordance with the operation of the mode selector 60, coin preselector 66, manual preselector 90, and switch 94 is designated by the numeral and shown schematically in FIG. 2. The logic control circuit 100 comprises a suitable bidirectional electronic counter or accumulator shown having two binary counting stages 112, 114 of ascending order.

i The counter 1 10 is loaded or preset in accordance with the setting of the manual preselector knob 91 or the operation of the coin preselector 66(depending on the setting of the mode selector 60) and is connected to a pulse generator 1 16 to be indexed in the subtracting direction during the delivery of fuel.

A control switch 118 mounted to be operated by a cam 119 on the control shaft 34 is provided for sensing the position of the control handle 32 in its ON and OFF positions. With the control handle in its OFF position and the mode selector 60 in its c position, each coin deposited in the coin preselector 66 is operable to step and thereby load the counter 110 in accordance with the value of the coin deposited. For example, the coin preselector 66 may be adapted to accept and separate 25 and 50 coins for operating corresponding switches (not shown). The 5 switch lead is connected via a suitable single shot logic gate circuit 120 and logic gate circuit 122 to index the counter 1 10 one count for each 5 coin deposited. The 10 switch lead is connected via a suitable multiple single shot logic gate circuit 124 and the logic gate circuit 122 to index the counter 110 two counts for each 10 piece deposited. The 25 switch lead is connected via a suitable multiple single shot logic gate circuit 125 and the logic gate circuit 122 to index the counter 110 five counts for each 25 piece deposited. The lower order binary stage 112 of the counter 110 is thereupon adapted to be indexed in 5& increments for example up to tentimes whereupon a transfer is generated to index the higher order binary stage 114 one count 110 in accordance with the relative. values of a pulse i 3 generated by the pulse generator 116 and a count of the counter 110. Thus, where ten pulses are generated by the pulse generator: 116 for each 5 of fuel delivered, the division circuit 172 would provide one output pulse for indexing the counter 110 one count (or 5 J in the subtracting direction for each ten pulses generated by the pulse generator 116 (or 5 of fuel delivered).

A counter readout section 180 is provided for operating the two-stage shutoff valve 116 for (a) closing the 1 first valve stage for reducing the fuel flow rate shortly lected amount of fuel). A suitable logic gate circuit 182 (operable by the binary readout leads of both counter stages 112, 114 via collector ORingcircuits 183, 184) provides for closing the first valve stage when the counter 110 reaches a predetermined count of for example l0 (which may be preset by selectivelybridging the pairs of contacts 185 in the binary readout leads 'of the lower order binary stage 112). Another suitable (equal to The higher order binary stage 114 may for example be adapted to be indexed (in 50 increments) to'store a count of up to $7.50.

The 50 switch lead is connected via a single shot logic gate circuit 126 and a logic gate circuit 140 for indexing the higher order binary stage 114 of the counter 110 one count (equal to 50 for each 50 140 are operated via a logic gate circuit146 todisconnect the coin operated switches from the counter 110. In the shown embodiment the logic gate circuit 146 is operated by the four binary readout leads of the binary logic gate circuit'186 (operableby all of the binary readout leads of both counter stages 112, 114 viacollector ORing circuits 184, 187) provides for closing the second valve stage for terminating the fueldelivery 7 when the counter 110 reaches zero. More particularly,

the logic gate circuits 182, 186provide for controlling the valve 16 via logic gate circuits 194,195 and first and second valve relaysnl9 2, 193 respectively. The p logic gate, circuits 194, 195 are also connected to the stage 114 such that the logic gatecircuits 122, 140 are nary count representing $7.50. O

posited) the pump control handle 32 may be turnedto its ON position fordispcnsing a corresponding moneclosed" when the counter stage 114 reaches a full biwise be maintained in main closed. I

"The circuit may permit loading the counter with additional coins after a delivery hascommenced (andwi th the handle 32 in its ON position Alternaemergency switch 94 toprovidefor selectively closing bothvalve stages with the switch94. Also, the ON-OF F switch 118 is connected to the logic gate circuit 182 and to an additional logic gate circuit 197 to provide for maintaining the. first and second valvestages open whenthe pumpcontrol ha'ndle32 is in' its OFF position.

(Since the pump motor 12 is turned off when the control handle 32 is turned off, fuel cannot be delivered with the control handle in its OFF position even though .the two-stage shutoff valve 16 is open). Theshutoff valve 16 therefore remains open while thepumpS is a inactive to relieve any fuelpressure which would other l the lineifthe valve were to retively theON-OFF switch 118 may be connected 'as tary amount of fuel. For this purpose the pulse gcnerator 11 6 is connectedto be driven with the lowest order wheel of the cost counter 24 to generate a. pulse for each predetermined incremental'monetary amountlof fuel delivered, for example, one pulse for'each /2 of fuel delivered. Also, the pulse generator 116 is preferably connected to the cost counter number wheel such that the pulse generator is automatically reset withthe the pulse generator 116 for indexing thecounter 110 in the subtracting direction when the pump control] handle is in its ON position, andasuitable division logic gate circuit 172 is provided for indexing the counter shown by the broken line .in FlG. for closing.the logic gate. circuits 122, when the pump control handle 32 is. turned to'itsO N position, in which event 7 any coins thereafterdeposited areineffective to load the counter 110. Also, the coin collect lead 80 isener- .gi z ed via a suitable logic gate circuit 198" to collect the coins in the escrow bank 74 when the pump control handle 32 is turned to its ON position (and if the mode I selector is in the C mode such that the manual coin return lever 76 is only effective to return coins to the v depositer'before the pump control handle 32 isturned to its ON position.

The oN-oFF switch means manila] coin return lever 76 are connected via asuitabletsingleshot logic gate circuit 200 andalogic gate circuit 2( l2to clear the i 3 division logic circuit .172 and 1oum if11o when the control handle 32 is turned to its OFF position and (with the control handle 32 in its OFF position) when the manual coin return lever 76 is operated (to return coins from the escrow bank 74). The division logic circuit 172 and counter 1 are then held in their clear or null position by the application of the null signal from the logic gate circuit 186 to a logic gate circuit 204. The counter 110 and division circuit 172 are thereby held in their null conditions to prevent inadvertent loading by stray electrical signals. The coin switch leads are connected via a suitable logic gate circuit 206 to the logic gate circuit 204 to release the null hold when the first coin is deposited (i.e., the first coin deposited after the handle 32 is turned to its OFF position) and to thereby permit the counter 110 to be loaded by the deposited coins.

With the mode selector 60 in its M or manual preselector position, the logic gate circuits 122, 140 are closed to disconnect the coin preselector 66 from the counter 110. Also, with the ON-OFF switch 118 in its OFF position and the mode selector 60 in its M position, a logic gate circuit 210 is operated for loading the counter 110 with the setting of the manual preselector 90. The manual preselector knob 91 can be adjusted to preselect the desired monetary amount of fuel before the pump control handle 32 is turned to its ON position whereupon the logic gate circuit 210 is operated to disconnect the manual preselector 90 from the counter. Thereafter during the delivery of fuel the counter 110 is indexed in the subtracting direction by the pulse generator 1 l6 and the two valve stages of the shutoff valve 16 are sequentially closed to terminate the delivery after the manually preselected amount is delivered.

When the mode selector 60 is placed in the NP or nonpreselector position, the counter 110 is disconnected from the two-stage shutoff valve 16 (by closing the logic gate circuits 182, 197) and the valve 16 is thereby held open during the delivery of fuel to provide for the delivery of any desired monetary or volumetric amount of fuel.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications, adaptations and variations of the foregoing specific disclosure can be made without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

I claim:

1. In a fluid dispensing system having fluid delivery means, manually operable means for selectively activating and deactivating the fluid delivery means for dispensing fluid, fluid valve means operable for being closed for terminating the delivery of fluid, a money preselector mechanism for money preselection of the monetary amount of fluid to be dispensed by the deposit of money therein, and control means operable by the money preselector mechanism and connected for closing the valve means for terminating a fluid delivery after a monetary amount of fluid delivery corresponding to the value of money deposited in the money preselector mechanism is dispensed; the improvement wherein the control means comprises a bidirectional binary electronic counter connected to the money preselector mechanism for being preset by being electronically indexed in a first counting direction in accordance with the value of money deposited in the money preselector mechanism, pulse generator means connected for electronically indexing the electronic counter in the opposite counting direction during the delivery of fluid and in accordance with the monetary amount of fluid dispensed, binary electronic counter readout means for closing the valve means for terminating the delivery of fluid when the binary electronic counter reaches a predetermined electronic count; the binary electronic counter being connected to be reset to said predeter mined electronic count when the fluid delivery means is deactivated by the manually operable means, and hold means connected to be operated by the binary electronic counter readout means to maintain the counter at said predetermined electronic count when it reaches said predetermined electronic count and until money is thereafter deposited in the money preselector mechanism.

2. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein the money preselector mechanism comprises the escrow bank for holding the deposited money in escrow and selectively operable for selectively returning and collecting all of the deposited money and wherein the control means is connected for operating the escrow bank for collecting all of the money therein when the fluid delivery means is activated for dispensing fluid by the manually operable means,

3. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 2 wherein thebinary counter is connected to be reset to said predetermined count when the escrow bank is operated for returning the money therein.

4. A fluid dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein the binary counter readout means is connected for disconnecting the money preselector mechanism from the binary counter when the binary counter reaches a predetermined maximum count.

5. In a fluid dispensing system having fluid delivery means, manually operable means for selectively activating and deactivating the fluid delivery means for dispensing fluid, fluid valve means operable for being closed for terminating the delivery of fluid, a money preselector mechanism operable for money preselection of the monetary amount of fluid to be dispensed by the deposit of money therein, and control means operable by the money preselector mechanism and connected for closing the valve means for terminating a delivery after a monetary amount of fluid corresponding to the value of money deposited in the money preselector mechanism is dispensed; the improvement wherein the control means comprises a bidirectional binary counter connected to the money preselector mechanism for being preset by being indexed in a first direction in accordance with the value of money deposited in the preselector mechanism, pulse generator means connected for indexing the binary counter in the opposite direction during the delivery of fluid and in accordance with the monetary amount of fluid dispensed, and binary counter readout means for closing the valve means for terminating the delivery of fluid when the counter reaches a predetermined minimum count and connected for disconnecting the money preselector mechanism from the binary counter when the binary counter reaches a predetermined maximum count. 

1. In a fluid dispensing system having fluid delivery means, manually operable means for selectively activating and deactivating the fluid delivery means for dispensing fluid, fluid valve means operable for being closed for terminating the delivery of fluid, a money preselector mechanism for money preselection of the monetary amount of fluid to be dispensed by the deposit of money therein, and control means operable by the money preselector mechanism and connected for closing the valve means for terminating a fluid delivery after a monetary amount of fluid delivery corresponding to the value of money deposited in the money preselector mechanism is dispensed; the improvement wherein the control means comprises a bidirectional binary electronic counter connected to the money preselector mechanism for being preset by being electronically indexed in a first counting direction in accordance with the value of money deposited in the money preselector mechanism, pulse generator means connected for electronically indexing the electronic counter in the opposite counting direction during the delivery of fluid and in accordance with the monetary amount of fluid dispensed, binary electronic counter readout means for closing the valve means for terminating the delivery of fluid when the binary electronic counter reaches a predetermined electronic count; the binary electronic counter being connected to be reset to said predetermined electronic count when the fluid delivery means is deactivated by the manually operable means, and hold means connected to be operated by the binary electronic counter readout means to maintain the counter at said predetermined electronic count when it reaches said predetermined electronic count and until money is thereafter deposited in the money preselector mechanism.
 2. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein the money preselector mechanism comprises the escrow bank for holding the deposited money in escrow and selectively operable for selectively returning and collecting all of the deposited money and wherein the control means is connected for operating the escrow bank for collecting all of the money therein when the fluid delivery means is activated for dispensing fluid by the manually operable means.
 3. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 2 wherein the binary counter is connected to be reset to said predetermined count when the escrow bank is operated for returning the money therein.
 4. A fluid dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein the binary counter readout means is connected for disconnecting the money preselector mechanism from the binary counter when the binary counter reaches a predetermined maximum count.
 5. In a fluid dispensing system having fluid delivery means, manually operable means for selectively activating and deactivating the fluid delivery means for dispensing fluid, fluid vaLve means operable for being closed for terminating the delivery of fluid, a money preselector mechanism operable for money preselection of the monetary amount of fluid to be dispensed by the deposit of money therein, and control means operable by the money preselector mechanism and connected for closing the valve means for terminating a delivery after a monetary amount of fluid corresponding to the value of money deposited in the money preselector mechanism is dispensed; the improvement wherein the control means comprises a bidirectional binary counter connected to the money preselector mechanism for being preset by being indexed in a first direction in accordance with the value of money deposited in the preselector mechanism, pulse generator means connected for indexing the binary counter in the opposite direction during the delivery of fluid and in accordance with the monetary amount of fluid dispensed, and binary counter readout means for closing the valve means for terminating the delivery of fluid when the counter reaches a predetermined minimum count and connected for disconnecting the money preselector mechanism from the binary counter when the binary counter reaches a predetermined maximum count. 